Maryland: Taiwan has once again sent the largest foreign delegation to this year's SelectUSA Investment Summit, with 113 Taiwanese companies and a record 207 representatives attending the annual U.S. investment event, Taiwan's top economic official said Sunday. The 2026 summit, organized by the United States Department of Commerce, opened Sunday in Maryland and runs through Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin highlighted that Taiwan has maintained its leading position among foreign delegations for the past four years. Speaking at a reception hosted by Taiwan's representative office in Washington, he emphasized Taiwan's strategic role in global industry, a sentiment echoed by U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade William Kimmitt.
Kimmitt noted that the Taiwan-U.S. investment cooperation memorandum signed in January is a significant agreement that reshapes bilateral strategic and economic ties. He praised Taiwan for its strong reputation in execution, stating that the agreement underscores the importance of delivering results.
Under the agreement, Taiwan commits to facilitating US$250 billion in private-sector investment in sectors like semiconductors and AI, alongside providing up to US$250 billion in government-backed credit support. Ahead of the summit, Kung led a delegation to Arizona, establishing a trade and investment service center and a single-window mechanism to assist Taiwanese investors.
Kung also visited Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s Arizona facilities, reporting rapid construction progress with parts of the supply chain already forming. He addressed a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling limiting President Donald Trump's tariff authority, affirming Taiwan's ongoing communication with U.S. trade officials to preserve negotiated outcomes.
Kung stressed the importance of avoiding double taxation for Taiwanese firms in the U.S. and plans to meet with U.S. officials and senators to advocate for Senate consideration of a double-tax relief bill passed by the House. Meanwhile, National Development Council Minister Yeh Chun-hsien announced that Taiwan's National Development Fund will launch a financing guarantee program for Taiwanese firms investing in the U.S. later this month, with an initial credit allocation of US$50 billion.